He said, “IFA strongly opposes any move away from the current model of direct payments, as this best supports agricultural production and investment, exports and jobs across Ireland. The payment model for the CAP after 2013 must continue to support productive farmers.”

Mr Bryan acknowledged the commitment of the Council to flexibility in the distribution of payments within Member States and between farmers, stating, “It is vital there is no disruption of payments at farm level”.

He concluded, “In the CAP negotiations, the Government must ensure the retention of a fully-funded budget for Ireland, which supports active farmers.”